You of Little Faith

Mark 14:25-31

“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’  ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’  ‘Come,’ he said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.   But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, “why did you doubt?’ “
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There are two things about this depiction of Jesus and Peter which I love.

First, when Peter steps out of the boat to walk on the water to Jesus, he is fine.  But, when he saw the wind, which he could only do if he looked away from Jesus, he began to sink.

We have to keep our eyes on Jesus to keep moving forward and not sink.

Second, when Peter cries out and Jesus reaches down to him, Jesus asks him why he doubted.  The cool thing?  Jesus is not asking Peter why he lost faith in Jesus, He is asking why Peter lost faith in himself.  Jesus is saying, “I know everything about you; your faults, flaws, sins and strengths.  Even so, I still believe in you!  Why can’t you believe in yourself?”

Jesus believes in us.  If we truly believe in Him, then we have to believe in ourselves too.

Son of God, Light of the World,

I have my best days when I stay focused on You, when I keep my eyes on You.  Give me the wisdom to not lose sight of all that You can do for me when I don’t look away at the world. 

You believe in me, my Lord.  Even though I am so imperfect, so full of sin and so full of myself, You can see all of the potential in me and what I am capable of, because of You. 

Jesus, thank you for loving me and believing in me. 

In your name I pray, 

Amen.